Currently I am painting large, colorful abstracts. I paint in both acrylics and oils, usually starting with acrylics and finishing with oil. My biggest joy in the painting process is to unearth the essence of the composition. It’s a treasure hunt where I make numerous small studies, working out shapes, lines, rhythms, and colors. These painted sketches can be inspired by nature, figures, or simply playful, expressionistic marks. I live with these sketches for a while, sometimes cropping them, sometimes refining them with paint by “erasing” or adding to, and sometimes combining two or more sketches. When a painted sketch feels ready, I start a larger painting based on the sketch. Some paintings stay true to the seminal sketch and some take a life of their own. I think my paintings are bold and joyful and each one makes a strong connection with a time, place, or a feeling I have experienced. I want my paintings to be complex, yet universal, so others can enjoy them and make their own personal connections.
